The present invention is directed to a dockboard and more particularly to a dockboard of the type that is mounted on a dock for movement between a flat disposition on the dock and an inclined loading or unloading disposition.
A typical example of a dockbord of this general type is disclosed in Waddell U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,930, issued Oct. 15, 1974, for Dockboard. In this and in some of the other types of dockboards there is an open space between the raised disposition of the side edges of the dockboard and the surface of the dock, which is a potentially hazardous condition in the event an operator or bystander happens to have his toe or foot in the space when the dockboard is being lowered. In dockboards of the type mounted in recesses in the dock it is possible to provide vertical side panels to obstruct this open space, but with dockboards mounted flat on an unrecessed dock surface such vertical side panels are impossible, and even in the recess mounted dockboards the vertical side panels can be undesirable where the depth of the recess to accommodate the side panels is otherwise not necessary or desired.
Also, in most dockboards the dock plate is attached to and manipulated by supporting elements that are pivoted to the dock plate for movement therewith without freedom of the dock plate to accommodate slight relative movement during raising and lowering thereof between flat and inclined dispositions.
Further, in most dockboards a truck plate is hinged to the outer edge of the dock plate and may be manipulated from an inoperative vertical hanging disposition to a horizontal operative disposition by a mechanism that is connected to the truck plate and remains connected when the dock plate is in use.
By the present invention toe guard plates are uniquely incorporated in a dockboard of the type of the aforesaid patent or of various other types to obstruct access to the spaces between the side edges of the dockboard and the dock and are positioned for sliding on the dock to a flat disposition when the dockboard is lowered. This invention also includes a unique means for hingedly mounting the dock plate on the supporting elements to accommodate slight shifting of the dock plate with the bed of an adjacent vehicle during unloading or loading and to permit easy removal of the dock plate from the supporting elements. In addition, the present invention provides a mechanism for pivoting the truck plate to its operative position, with the mechanism being retractable away from the truck plate to allow movement of the truck plate with the vehicle bed without damage to or restraint by the mechanism.